The present invention relates to an apparatus for collecting articles which, depending on their type, are collected and undergo shape modification for recycling purposes or are dumped. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus having a gaming or playing part providing a user with an opportunity to win a prize. The apparatus is coupled with a container for accepting articles for the articles being collected.
The field of the present invention is recycling of materials, where efforts have been made to reduce prejudicing of the environment. These efforts are inter alia aimed at separating reusable materials from the waste, in order to reprocess them and prepare them for reuse.
Packs of all types and in particular metal packs, e.g. tin cans, aerosol containers and cans of all types represent vast quantities of used or spent materials. If it is possible to separate significant amounts of such metal packs from the waste material and supply same to reuse, this would not only considerably economize on the metal reserves of the world, but would also greatly reduce the quantity of garbage to be processed. However, it is important that it would be possible to recover these materials in considerable quantities and at low cost. It is therefore necessary firstly to collect such metal waste materials.
Numerous constructions of the devices of the foregoing type are known. Such devices essentially comprise a return or take-back part, which receives the articles to be collected. Such articles can be of widely differing types as mentioned above and may include empty tins or cans made from ferrous and non-ferrous metals, as well as plastic bottles and other plastic parts. The known apparatuses are also able to collect articles not usable for recycling purposes and which have to be dumped, such as e.g. batteries.
In order to prevent articles which are undesired from being delivered to the container for accepting articles of the apparatus and thus avoid damage to the container for accepting articles or prejudice the operation of the latter, the container for accepting articles must be equipped with a device, which would establish the acceptance of such articles and consequently allow the return thereof. The known devices have also means enabling the elimination of articles recognized as not being acceptable and which naturally require additional apparatus expenditure.
It has been also proposed to connect a playing or gaming part to the take-back or container for accepting articles aiming at motivating people to return articles being used. Although the return of the article to the collection device could put the playing part into operation, such process would take place without the user of the apparatus being able to follow the sequence of setting the playing part into operation. For better motivation purposes, it has been proposed to use a gaming machine as a gaming part, such as e.g. known so-called one-armed bandit which can be put into operation by inserting money into the apparatus. In order to be able to use the attraction or pull of such gaming machines in conjunction with devices for collecting articles, it has also been proposed to make use of the operating lever for e.g. manually deforming the article. It should be appreciated that through manual operation, admittedly, an extensive adaptation to the known construction is achieved and the attraction of such gaming machines is used. However, the disadvantage of such apparatuses resides in that they can be easily damaged or their operation can be prejudiced if the operating lever is not operated correctly by a user.